NEZAHUALCÓYOTL, State of Mexico – César Octavio Medina Vargas and Layonet Salvador Buenrostro Pérez, students at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico’s (UAEM) Nezahualcóyotl Professional Academic Campus, took first place in the Polytechnic University of Tlaxcala’s (UPTx) Fifth Robotics Contest.

In the contest, in which students throughout the country entered more than 200 robot prototypes, Medina Vargas and Buenrostro Pérez assembled a robotic car with a mechanical arm and drone.

Intelligent Systems Engineering students explained that their robotic car, which measures about 90 square centimeters, can support 100 kilograms and can be controlled with wires and wirelessly.

The purpose of Medina Vargas and Buenrostro Pérez’s robotic car, which is equipped with a robotic arm, is to manipulate objects that are harmful to humans. For short distance usage, it can be operated by a mobile phone and for long distance, by a laptop.

The main goal for using a drone with their robotic car was to recognize terrain. For example, in the case of natural disasters, it can carry out searches and return to charge its battery.

The two contest winners, whom have participated in many similar contests, emphasized that the majority of the materials used for their robot were recycled, which reduces costs and benefits the environment.